Area Worksheets

A gentle start with area

This set begins with hands-on ideas for young children. They can colour a shape, cover a space with drawn tiles, compare which shape takes up more room and match shapes with the same area. Older children can count unit squares, complete simple area tables and find the area of rectangles on grids. The activities move from seeing and comparing space to recording an answer. Children who are ready for formal maths can practise using square units, while younger children can work without needing a formula.

Use the worksheets at home or in class

At home, begin with one worksheet and ask your child to explain which shape covers more space. Use crayons for covering tasks, then try a ruler and pencil for grid work. In class, children can work in pairs, with one child counting squares and the other checking the answer. Connect the sheets to familiar objects such as floor tiles, a notebook cover or a small garden bed. The 2D shapes worksheets can provide useful practice before a child works with area.

Help children count the covered space

A common mistake is counting the lines around a shape instead of the square units inside it. Show your child how to count each complete square, then handle half or partly covered squares only when the worksheet asks for them. Children may also skip a row or count one square twice, so encourage them to mark each row as they go. For a rectangle, connect the rows and columns to multiplication when your child is ready. Ask, 'How do you know?' rather than correcting the answer straight away.